I've been advised not to write about politics. This recommendation comes from those who see my blog as being about consumerism. Well, of course it is. But that does not mean it is not about other issues. Moreover, it's my feeling that a healthy perspective on any one issue usually involves a balanced perspective on other issues. So this is a political post. I'm not offended if you don't care to read.
On the way into work today I heard that California state legislators and the governor are getting closer to a budget compromise. It turns out that Republicans and the California business community have seen the light -- there simply is no way out of the budget mess without raising some taxes. There's a lot to be said about that. This is not my point here, but let me summarize the financial situation California is in: you reap what you sow. Lower taxes without fiscal responsibility always leads to budget crisis. Republicans and Democrats are both to blame for this lousy financial crop.
But that's not what I'm writing about this morning. What bothered me about the compromise legislators appear to be moving toward is that Republicans, accepting that taxes must be raised, want to get something in return. Turns out Republicans are seeking to roll back several environmental protections. Ironically, California Republicans are loosening environmental protections even as the new Obama administration and career EPA staffers (free to speak, now that the Bush administration is gone) are praising California's environmental laws as forward-thinking and an example for the rest of the nation. Thus, as the nation's environmental policy follows California's lead, California Republicans are seeking to go backwards.
The reason is that California environmental protections are "unfriendly" to business and, of course, Republicans are pro-business. Now follow me here. This is where, as a Republican myself, I get really frustrated with the current state of the Republican party.
The primary Republican argument against the Democrats goes like this. Republicans accuse Democrats of seeking higher taxes so that people can receive services as state welfare. Allegedly Republicans want to work hard for their money, keep all their money, not let the state waste all their money, and use their money however they see fit. Republicans don't want loafers living off of their unnecessarily high tax dollars. Essentially, Republicans don't believe in handouts.
Well, at least handouts that don't benefit them. Remember, I'm a Republican. But let me say something to my party. Republicans are not willing to pay the price. They're loafers. In fact, the most dastardly loafers. They want handouts, not as a flawed charitable policy. Republicans want handouts in order to be selfish and irresponsible and harmful. The Republican leadership in California and in the federal government are seeking environmental handouts. In order to be "friendly" to business, Republicans advocate being irresponsible to the environment. Instead of a handout of welfare dollars, they want a handout of environmental blindness. And for what? The opportunity to generate more personal (don't tax me!) wealth.
Look, there is a lot of good things about the Republican party. I know I have many Democrats who read this blog and will roll their eyes. It's true, though. Republicans have done some amazingly great things for the country and the world. But the Republicans are nearly dead wrong on environmental policy. Despite what many of my conservative readers will say, Republican environmental policy is not based on science or social concern. It's based on selfishness and greed and an unwillingness to steward the earth responsibly. And that frustrates me.
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